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Local Tourism Sites and Package Options

“A picture may be worth a thousand words but actually being there is incomparable.”

There are many incredible attractions both in the Central Valley of Costa Rica and throughout the country. Our San Jose Airport Hotel is perfectly situated to offer our guests the ability to explore as much or as little of the country directly from our hotel!

Home Base La Rosa

We recognize that planning a trip to a remote destination can be somewhat complicated as every traveler’s need and interests are different. We are more than happy to help you with ideas, suggestions and directions. Just ask! At all times, advice is FREE!

Hotel La Rosa Packages

We have grouped the most popular destinations from our hotel into convenient packages for those preferring a carefree, hassle free day long excursion experience. We recommend these packages to be taken as a HOTEL PACKAGE TOUR so as to save money but they can be taken independently if you wish.

Combine VOLCAN POAS, LA PAZ WATERFALL GARDENS and the DOKA COFFEE PLANTATION for a real diverse experience all close to Hotel La Rosa de America.

VOLCAN POAS: this 9,000 foot volcano just 35 km from our Hotel is an easy attraction to see in the morning. Boasting two craters, one with a beautiful green pool and the other one active, this Volcano is located within a National Park. There are many hiking trails and an Info Centre. The drive up the side of POAS is especially pretty and has many spectacular viewing locations over the Central Valley and San Jose.

LA PAZ WATERFALL GARDENS: If you like waterfalls, hummingbirds, butterflys, monkeys, frogs and even snakes (in a Serpentarium), this place has it all! It even has an excellent restaurant! Close to POAS Volcano nestled in the stunningly beautiful valley between POAS and BARVA volcanos.

DOKA COFFEE PLANTATION: located on the slopes of POAS Volcano, Doka offers the coffee enthusiast an experience and education into the growing of, and production of coffee in Costa Rica. At Hotel La Rosa de America, we serve Doka Coffee as we believe to to be the best tasting in all of Costa Rica. Doka Coffee Bags make great presents to take home!

Combine VOLCAN IRAZU, OROSI VALLEY and the LANKESTER GARDENS for an adventure filled day on the eastern side of the Central Valley. Due to potential traffic congestion and difficulties with signage, we recommend visiting these sites as part of an organized tour which can be booked at our Hotel.

VOLCAN IRAZU: the largest of the active volcanos shielding the northern approaches to the Central Valley. One can see both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from the 12,000 foot heights of this volcano.

OROSI VALLEY: the Shangri-La of Valleys! Known for it’s profound beauty and rich volcanic soils, this Valley is carpeted in deep green coffee plantations interspersed with colorful wildflowers and the Rio Reventazon.

LANKESTER GARDENS: for all orchid lovers this is a must! There are over 800 species of orchids here. Many other tropical plants as well can be found throughout the expansive gardens.

Combine VOLCAN ARENAL with stops in SARCHI (where Costa Rica‘s best wood craftsmen are found), GRECIA (see the all metal church and numerous sugar and coffee fields) and then enjoy a relaxing swim at either Baldi Hot Springs, The Springs Resort or Tabacon Grand Spa and Thermal Resort before heading to the “active” side of ARENAL shortly after sunset to see the pyroclastic molten display through the darkness. (weather dependent) This tour returns to the Central Valley around 10 pm. Pricing is based on your choice of Springs/Spa.

VOLCAN ARENAL: it is said that only one in a million people will ever witness an exploding volcano. At ARENAL, you can, day or night! If the weather permits clear viewing, this Volcano is truly spectacular, especially at night.

SARCHI: this town, about 45 minutes from our Central Valley location is renowned as the home of Costa Rican artisanry. Here you can see the World’s largest ox cart and see master carvers at work.

GRECIA: about 30 minutes from Hotel La Rosa, this town boasts the distinction of being “the Cleanest Town in Central America”. It also has the World’s first all metal church, the result of too many fires in the old wooden one.

More Local Tourist Options and Tours

These above trips can be pre-booked with your reservation at our hotel or upon arrival subject to space availability. We also offer them within packages for your convenience. Other combinations of trips are also possible, see below for some more ideas that are available. Please email us for further details and rate information should you choose to take one of these guided tours.

SAN LORENZO CANOPY TOUR: this Zip Line tour through the tree tops boasts the longest continuous cable in Costa Rica! Set in the mountains north of the Central Valley one will have ample opportunity to see Costa Rica‘s flora and fauna up close and personal!

SAN LUIS CANOPY TOUR: just minutes from the San Lorenzo Zip Line this tour is buried in the scenic hills enroute to Arenal, and has a Tarzan Swing and a “Superman” zipline as well! Both locations are a little over one hour from Hotel La Rosa.

** WHITE WATER RAFTING: For the more adventure minded we have the thrill of the Pacuare River. This River offers 30 km of Class III and IV rapids as well as stunning scenery. Lunch is served about 2 hours into the “cruise” on the river bank. All operators are very experienced and safety is paramount to their operations. Note: we think this experience is Awesome!!

* SAN JOSE CITY TOUR: this is a half day tour. See the bustling city of San Jose from the comfort of your microbus. Great way to see the main sites without getting lost or searching for parking!! Includes La Sabana Park, the National Theater and usually the Gold or Jade Museum depending on the day.

* POAS HALF DAY: This tour is for people who only wish to visit POAS VOLCANO. It can be taken in the morning (recommended) or afternoon (not recommended due to weather).

RAINFOREST AERIAL TRAM: buried on the eastern slopes of Braulio Carrillo National Park, the Aerial Tram is a nature lover’s best way to see a mature jungle from within the tree tops. Jungle flora and fauna varies tremendously from forest floor to canopy top and with the Aerial tram quietly drifting through the trees, one can see and hear much, much more.

** RAINFOREST 3-1 TOUR: this all day tour is an extremely cost effective package. It includes a jungle river cruise on the beautiful Sarapiqui River, guided nature walks (including a hanging suspension bridge) in Selva Verde Lodge and then finishes up with entrance to the Rainforest Aerial Tram mentioned above.

** THE REAL TORTUGUERO: this is an all day tour which takes you through San Jose, over the Continental Divide and down into the Caribbean Flat lands and on into the Tortuguero canals. Includes guaranteed entry to the Park, a canal ride, visit to the information centre and a tour of turtle nesting areas accompanied by a park naturalist. This tour involves a lengthy bus ride from the Central Valley.

** BAY ISLANDS CRUISE TO ISLA TORTUGA: Isla Tortuga is a beautiful sun-drenched island off the south coast of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Here, stunning scenery combine with beautiful beaches and azure warm waters. This location is great for SCUBA or snorkeling. The tour includes yacht transportation from Puntaranas as well as sun-tanning, and lunch on board the yacht as it cruises past the Bay Islands in the Gulf of Nicoya enroute to Isla Tortuga.

BEST OF THE PACIFIC: This tour option visits the Rio Tarcoles to cruise on the river and see the scores of crocodiles that are always present! As this is a river delta, migratory birds abound as well. Afterwords, the tour moves on to Punta Leona Resort where you can enjoy a Costa Rican Blue Flag Beach.

* tours with one asterisk will receive a discount if booked within a hotel package as they are only half day tours.

** tours with two asterisks may carry a small surcharge if booked within a hotel package due to the extra cost of the tour.

The above options are just ideas to give you a starting point to plan the best vacation possible. Many other less touristy options exist as well such as waterfall rappelling, spelunking (caving), and hiking. Costa Rica is an adventurer’s paradise so if you have a question, just ask and we will try to help!

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Our Costa Rica Hotel is the best place to stay in CR. With one of the most beautiful and peaceful gardens we definitely are the best San Jose Costa Rica Airport Hotel.

It is our pleasure to offer you free advice with your Costa Rica travel plans and to help answer your travel questions when you reserve with us! We are happy to assist with personal airport transportation, guides and tours! Our SJO Airport Hotel is ideally situated for guests wishing to explore Costa Rica from a location of comfort, natural beauty, safety, and virtually unlimited friendly assistance!

We offer private or group tours to many local destinations such as Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfalls, Coffee Tours, ZooAve, a Bird Sanctuary, Butterfly Gardens and many other options. Ziplines, Hot Springs, River Rafting, Jungle Hikes, Aerial Trams, Crocodile viewing, Sailing trips to Isla Tortuga and even Arenal are all easy day trips from Hotel La Rosa